Copperworks Distilling Single Cask No. 440 American Single Malt Whiskey Review

 

Copperworks Distilling Co. of Seattle, Washington, was founded by Jason Parker and Micah Nutt in 2013. Both had backgrounds in craft brewing and were curious about what would happen if they distilled high-quality craft beer into spirits. While utilizing traditional, hand-hammered copper stills from Scotland, Copperworks is a leader in the American Single Malt Whiskey movement, driven by innovation, sustainability, and the pursuit of flavors from the Pacific Northwest.

 

If you’re new to the scene of American Single Malt Whiskey, you may wonder how it differentiates itself from other whiskeys. In January, it became a legally defined category of whiskey with the following requirements:

 

• It must be made from 100% malted barley.
• It must be entirely a product of one distillery.
• It must be mashed, distilled, and aged entirely in the United States.
• It must be aged in either new or vintage, charred or uncharred oak casks of 700 liters or less in volume.
• It must be distilled at 80% ABV (160°) or less.
• It must be packaged at 40% ABV (80°) or more; and
• The only allowed additive aside from water is caramel coloring, which must be disclosed on the label.

 

Today, we’re exploring Copperorks newest one-and-done American Single Malt expression called Single Cask No. 440.

 

“We tasted this, fell in love, and bottled it at cask strength, 61.15% ABV. It is strongly aligned with our award-winning Farmsmith American Single Malt Whiskey - being a single farm, single varietal, single growing year barley. It would make a great tasting companion with our Farmsmith - or enjoyed on its own.” - Jason Parker, President and Co-Founder

 

Usually, if a distiller invites a challenge, I’ll take them up on it. Unfortunately, I no longer possess a bottle of Farmsmith. However, you can read my 2024 review of it here.

 

Regardless, this is a review of Single Cask No. 440, and I might as well begin it. First, I must thank Copperworks for providing me with a sample in exchange for my no-strings-attached, honest review. Let’s #DrinkCurious!

 

• Whiskey Type: American Single Malt
• Distiller: Copperworks Distilling Co.
• Age: 4 years, 8 months
• Mashbill: 100% Genie Malt
• Cooperage: 53-gallon new, American charred oak
• Alcohol Content: 61.65% ABV (122.3°)
• Price per 700mL: $89.99 (200 bottle yield) from its online store

 

Appearance: I used a Glencairn glass to explore this whiskey neat. Inside, it was true to the distillery’s name; it was a deep copper. A medium rim formed evenly spaced, syrupy tears.

 

Nose: I let the whiskey rest for about 15 minutes before bringing the glass to my nose. When I inhaled, I detected notes of thick butterscotch, apples, cedar, and nutmeg. Drawing the air through my lips brought forth apple pie filling.

 

Palate: A creamy, dense mouthfeel introduced the front of my palate to apple pie filling, roasted almonds, and nutmeg. I tasted cinnamon spice, orange zest, and plantains on the mid-palate, and the back consisted of oak, caramel, and black pepper.

 

Finish: Things were nice and mellow before quickly ramping up to a spicy, bold finish. Cinnamon Red Hots and freshly-cracked black pepper competed for dominance. Yet, flavors of apple pie filling, orange zest, and caramel were still evident. The duration ran 1:58, making it quite long.

 

Bottle, Bar, or Bust: Single Cask No. 440 was different from what I remembered Farmsmith being, so much so that I went back to my review of that and re-read it. Sure, there were some spice and citrus notes, but aside from that, not really. And, at the end of the day, it matters not.

 

One thing I love about Copperworks is that they occasionally release peated American Single Malts. In my opinion, those are the cream of the crop of what this distillery offers. However, Single Cask No. 440 was right there, standing toe-to-toe with them. I’ll go so far as to say it is one of my favorite unpeated expressions that Copperworks has offered.

 

It should be evident that Single Cask No. 440 deserves my Bottle rating. Cheers!

Photo courtesy of Copperworks Distilling Co

 

 

My Simple, Easy-to-Understand Rating System

• Bottle = Buy It
• Bar = Try It
• Bust = Leave It

 

Whiskeyfellow encourages you to enjoy your whiskey as you see fit, but begs you to do so responsibly.